Header Secondary

A Toolkit for Activists Helping People with Felony Convictions Vote in Arizona

In Arizona, the law regarding which people with past criminal convictions can and cannot vote has been confusing. Whether a person can vote depends on how many felony convictions they have, whether they are able to pay their fines and fees, and whether they have completed their sentence(s). Moreover, some people (but not all) who are eligible to get their right to vote back after a conviction are required to file a request to restore their right – a process that many do not know about. As a result, many Arizonans with past convictions who are eligible to vote, simply do not know that they can participate.

But a little bit of education and outreach will go a long way to assisting people to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

Arizona’s law prevents some people from ever voting again, even after they have fully served their sentence, unless they can pay off all court ordered fines and fees. Even if those people can afford to scale these burdensome financial barriers, those with multiple convictions are able to restore their rights only if they affirmatively apply.